Middle school suicide: For the first time, suicide is claiming more U.S. middle school student lives than car crashes, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2014, 425 students between the ages of 10 and 14 killed themselves. The rate doubled in the years between 2007 and 2014. WUSF.
Dropout prevention: Intensive tracking of student progress is fueling a rapid rise in the graduation rate at Homestead Senior High School. In the 2010-2011 school year, 54.2 percent of seniors graduated. In 2014-2015 the rate was up to 68.4 percent, and school officials think they'll hit 72 percent this year. Frequent use of data is helping to identify students in trouble, and prompts the dropout prevention team into quick intervention. Miami Herald.
Dress code: A 16-year-old Ridgewood High School student who has had cancer twice was told last week that the cancer survivor t-shirt he wore to school violates the dress code. The code forbids wearing a shirt with a logo that takes up more than a quarter of the design. Tim Powers says he's disturbed the school wouldn't let his son Tyler wear the shirt. Daily Mail.
Bathroom rights: A lawsuit challenging the Duval County School District's policy allowing students to use the bathroom aligned with their gender identity has been dismissed. A lawyer for the challengers says the suit may be refiled, pending the results of other similar cases. Florida Times-Union.
Cutting costs: About 225 Hillsborough County support teachers and perhaps administrators are being assigned to classrooms as part of the district's cost-cutting plan. General fund reserves have dropped by more than $200 million since 2011. Tampa Bay Times. (more…)
School violence: The Miami-Dade School District becomes the first in the country to implement the Sandy Hook Promise in all its schools. It's a violence-protection program started by parents who lost children in the Newtown, Conn., elementary school massacre in 2012. It emphasizes social inclusion by reaching out to isolated students, and trains students and staff to see warning signs. Miami Herald.
Superintendent's job: The chairwoman of the Duval County School Board member asks School Superintendent Nikolai Vitti to resign or face termination at a meeting Friday, according to Vitti. He says he won't quit. Chairwoman Ashley Smith Juarez has accused Vitti of not being truthful with the board. She also has criticized the district's performance on state exams, and says Vitti's goals for improving those scores are not aggressive enough. Florida Times-Union.
CPR training: Orange County students are now being required to take CPR training before graduating. The training will be provided during a physical education course or another required course. Orlando Sentinel.
Impact fees: A Lake County commissioner urges the school board to waive part of the school impact fees on builders. Leslie Campione wants the board to reduce the fees on homes built within two miles of existing schools in established neighborhoods. Doing so could cost the school district about $1 million a year. Orlando Sentinel. Daily Commercial. (more…)
